How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Bankers Fidelity
Beneficiaries are managed by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken by mail
For Bankers Fidelity policyholders, estate planning comes down to one critical step: making sure the right beneficiaries are named on every policy. Insurance proceeds bypass probate entirely and go directly to whoever is listed—regardless of what a will says. When estate tax planning or controlled distributions are a factor, a trust can be named as beneficiary instead.
Bankers Fidelity has 8 policies with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
Beneficiary form at Bankers Fidelity
Change Form (B 0136 CF), Section 3, Change of Beneficiary.
Open the form →- Policy number, insured name, and owner name with Social Security numbers in the form header
- Primary beneficiary name, percentage, Social Security number, address, relationship, phone, and birth date
- Contingent beneficiary information if desired (paid if no primary beneficiary survives the insured)
- For a trust beneficiary, enter the full legal trust name in the name field and the trust EIN in place of a Social Security number
- Mail to Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Attn: Policyholder Services, 4370 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319
- Or fax to 404-926-4033
Required Documents
- Policy number, insured name and owner name. Given with Social Security numbers in the form header
- Primary beneficiary's name
- Primary beneficiary's percentage
- Primary beneficiary's Social Security number
- Primary beneficiary's address and phone
- Primary beneficiary's relationship
- Primary beneficiary's birth date
- Contingent beneficiary information (if naming a contingent beneficiary)
- Full legal trust name (when naming a trust). Entered in the beneficiary name field exactly as it appears in the trust document
- Trust EIN (when naming a trust). Entered in place of a Social Security number
- Certificate of Trust or trust abstract (when naming a trust, if Bankers Fidelity requests it)
- Enter the ILIT (or trustee) as the new owner with the trust EIN and mailing address
- The new owner section is signed by the new owner; the existing Policy Owner also signs the form
- An officer assignee block is provided if the assignment is recorded by a corporate assignee
Required Documents
- Completed Change Form (B 0136 CF), Section 2 (for an ILIT ownership transfer)
- Full legal trust name and trust EIN
- New owner's mailing address. The ILIT, or its trustee, is entered as the new owner with the trust EIN and mailing address
- Trustee name and identification
- Certificate of Trust or trust abstract (if Bankers Fidelity requests it)
- Trust EIN documentation. IRS Letter 147C or SS-4 confirmation
What Bankers Fidelity says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Bankers Fidelity's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Who can be named1
- A trust, life insurance policys
A trust can be named as the policy beneficiary in Section 3 of the Change Form, so the death benefit pays into the trust.1
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
What a designation takes to be effective
Beneficiary forms Bankers Fidelity issues1
- Change Form (B 0136 CF), Section 3, Change of Beneficiary
Completed by the policy owner. Available to download.1
Return to
Fax: 1-404-926-4033
Mailing address: Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Attn: Policyholder Services, 4370 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319
What Bankers Fidelity's agreement says about beneficiaries3
- Changing or revoking a designation
All beneficiary changes must be submitted in writing on the Change Form (B 0136 CF); changes cannot be made online.1
- A designation and a will
Beneficiary designations override instructions in a will.1
- A minor as beneficiary
Children under 18 cannot receive benefits directly. If a minor is named, the claim requires probate-court guardianship documents before payment.1
Which accounts a trust can hold2
- Life insurance policy
An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can take ownership of a life policy through Section 2, Ownership Change, of the Change Form.1
- Health, long-term care or disability policy
Medicare supplement, short-term care, cancer and hospital indemnity policies cannot be retitled to a trust and have no death benefit.1
Trust account forms Bankers Fidelity issues1
- Change Form (B 0136 CF), Section 2, Ownership Change
For life insurance policys. Available to download.1
Return to
Fax: 1-404-926-4033
Mailing address: Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Attn: Policyholder Services, 4370 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319
What Bankers Fidelity says about trust accounts2
Not in Bankers Fidelity's published guidance1
- A separate assignment-of-ownership form
Sources1
Sources
Data sourced from Bankers Fidelity primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Bankers Fidelity instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Bankers Fidelity primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Bankers Fidelity estate support
Policyholder Services
Phone
General Quote Line
Agent Support
Customer Loyalty
Underwriting
Fax
Mailing address
Website
Estate requests go through general customer service.
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